I do not think passion and getting paid for it are mutually exclusive. I believe that to transmit this art we need full time, professional instructors, who in addition to devoting their lives solely and completely to teaching budo, must do so while being able to feed their families on what they do.

Then why doesn't this happen?

I've heard many people whine over the cost for weekend seminars with teachers some of who were uchideshi with O-sensei. We're talking eight to ten hours of training with these people who have devoted their lives to aikido for 40+ years. When the seminar fee goes up above $100, people start whining that it's too expensive.

What is it that makes aikido so 'cheap'? Why are many of us unwilling to give compensation for these people who are our teachers? I'm not talking about giving them enough money to become rich, just enough to let them live comfortably instead of scrounging for cash?